4To1 Planner - AI Planning Coach

4To1 Planner — AI Planning Coach

"From Vision to Action: 4to1" An AI-native planning coach that turns your 4-year vision into today's action — through conversation, not templates.

The 4To1 Method™

A 4-layer strategic planning system. Each layer bridges the gap between vision and execution: 4 YEARS → Strategic Vision (Where am I going?) 3 MONTHS → Project Milestones (Quarterly Gantt Log) 2 WEEKS → Action Execution (1 Day in a Week sprints) 1 DAY → Daily Tasks (Today's to-do list) Plus two elimination layers: Not-To-Do Projects: Things you explicitly say NO to Time Wasters: Daily habits you're eliminating Core principle: Every daily task connects to a 2-week sprint, which connects to a 3-month milestone, which connects to your 4-year vision. Nothing floats.

Quick Start

User says any of these → this skill activates: "Help me set up a planning system" "I want to plan my next 4 years" "Do my weekly review" "What should I focus on today?" "Set up 4to1 planner"

Setup: Connect Your Backend

The planner needs somewhere to store plans. Ask the user which they prefer:

Option 1: Notion (Recommended)

# 1. Create a Notion integration at https://www.notion.so/my-integrations # 2. Copy the API key (starts with ntn_) # 3. Store it: mkdir -p ~/.config/4to1 echo "BACKEND=notion" > ~/.config/4to1/config echo "NOTION_API_KEY=ntn_your_key_here" >> ~/.config/4to1/config Share a parent page with the integration in Notion (click ··· → Connections → select your integration). Create the planning workspace in Notion: NOTION_KEY=$(grep NOTION_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) PARENT_PAGE=$(grep NOTION_PARENT_PAGE ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) # Create the 4To1 Planning Hub page curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d "{ \"parent\": {\"page_id\": \"$PARENT_PAGE\"}, \"properties\": {\"title\": {\"title\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"🎯 4To1 Planning Hub\"}}]}}, \"children\": [ {\"type\": \"heading_1\", \"heading_1\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"🔭 4-Year Vision\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"paragraph\", \"paragraph\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"Your strategic direction. Updated annually.\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"heading_1\", \"heading_1\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"📊 3-Month Milestones\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"paragraph\", \"paragraph\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"Quarterly Gantt Log — project milestones for this quarter.\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"heading_1\", \"heading_1\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"🏃 2-Week Sprint\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"paragraph\", \"paragraph\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"1 Day in a Week — action execution in 2-week cycles.\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"heading_1\", \"heading_1\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"🚫 Not-To-Do List\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"paragraph\", \"paragraph\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"Projects and commitments you are explicitly saying NO to.\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"heading_1\", \"heading_1\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"⏰ Time Wasters\"}}]}}, {\"type\": \"paragraph\", \"paragraph\": {\"rich_text\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"Daily habits you are eliminating.\"}}]}} ] }" # Create Projects database (tracks items across all 4 layers) curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d "{ \"parent\": {\"page_id\": \"$PARENT_PAGE\"}, \"title\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"📋 4To1 Projects\"}}], \"properties\": { \"Name\": {\"title\": {}}, \"Status\": {\"select\": {\"options\": [ {\"name\": \"Active\", \"color\": \"green\"}, {\"name\": \"Planned\", \"color\": \"blue\"}, {\"name\": \"On Hold\", \"color\": \"yellow\"}, {\"name\": \"Done\", \"color\": \"gray\"}, {\"name\": \"Not-To-Do\", \"color\": \"red\"} ]}}, \"Layer\": {\"select\": {\"options\": [ {\"name\": \"4-Year Vision\", \"color\": \"blue\"}, {\"name\": \"3-Month Milestone\", \"color\": \"green\"}, {\"name\": \"2-Week Sprint\", \"color\": \"orange\"}, {\"name\": \"1-Day Task\", \"color\": \"red\"} ]}}, \"Priority\": {\"select\": {\"options\": [ {\"name\": \"Primary\", \"color\": \"red\"}, {\"name\": \"Secondary\", \"color\": \"orange\"}, {\"name\": \"Nice-to-have\", \"color\": \"gray\"} ]}}, \"Parent Project\": {\"rich_text\": {}}, \"Start Date\": {\"date\": {}}, \"End Date\": {\"date\": {}}, \"Progress\": {\"number\": {\"format\": \"percent\"}}, \"Notes\": {\"rich_text\": {}} } }" # Create Sprint Log database (2-week tracking cycles) curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d "{ \"parent\": {\"page_id\": \"$PARENT_PAGE\"}, \"title\": [{\"text\": {\"content\": \"📅 Sprint Log\"}}], \"properties\": { \"Sprint\": {\"title\": {}}, \"Focus Areas\": {\"rich_text\": {}}, \"Completed\": {\"number\": {}}, \"Planned\": {\"number\": {}}, \"Completion Rate\": {\"formula\": {\"expression\": \"if(prop(\\\"Planned\\\") > 0, round(prop(\\\"Completed\\\") / prop(\\\"Planned\\\") * 100), 0)\"}}, \"Reflection\": {\"rich_text\": {}}, \"Energy Level\": {\"select\": {\"options\": [ {\"name\": \"🔥 High\", \"color\": \"green\"}, {\"name\": \"😊 Normal\", \"color\": \"blue\"}, {\"name\": \"😴 Low\", \"color\": \"yellow\"}, {\"name\": \"💀 Burnt Out\", \"color\": \"red\"} ]}} } }"

Option 2: Todoist

# 1. Get API token from https://app.todoist.com/app/settings/integrations/developer echo "BACKEND=todoist" > ~/.config/4to1/config echo "TODOIST_API_KEY=your_token_here" >> ~/.config/4to1/config Create the 4To1 structure: TODOIST_KEY=$(grep TODOIST_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) for project in "🔭 4-Year Vision" "📊 3-Month Milestones" "🏃 2-Week Sprint" "✅ Daily Tasks" "🚫 Not-To-Do"; do curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/projects" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d "{\"name\": \"$project\"}" done

Option 3: Google Calendar + Tasks

echo "BACKEND=gcal" > ~/.config/4to1/config # Requires Google OAuth — run the setup script: python3 {baseDir}/scripts/gcal_setup.py

Option 4: Local Markdown (No account needed)

echo "BACKEND=local" > ~/.config/4to1/config echo "LOCAL_DIR=~/4to1-plans" >> ~/.config/4to1/config mkdir -p ~/4to1-plans/{vision,milestones,sprints,daily,not-to-do}

1. Onboarding — "Set up my planning system"

Guide the user through this conversation: Step 1: Choose backend (see Setup above) Step 2: 4-Year Vision (5-10 min conversation) Ask one at a time, conversationally: "If you could be anywhere in 4 years — career, life, skills — what does that look like?" "What are the 2-3 biggest areas you want to transform?" (career, health, relationships, skills, finances) "For each area, what does SUCCESS look like in 4 years? Be specific." "What are you willing to give up to get there?" → seeds the Not-To-Do list "Any daily habits stealing your time?" → seeds the Time Wasters list After the conversation, create: 4-Year Vision document with their answers (Layer: 4-Year Vision) 2-5 vision areas with concrete success criteria Initial Not-To-Do list + Time Wasters list Step 3: 3-Month Milestones (5 min) "Of your vision areas, which 1-2 need the most progress in the next 3 months?" "What specific milestones would mean real progress?" "Break each into measurable deliverables." Create items with Layer: 3-Month Milestone, linked to vision areas. Step 4: 2-Week Sprint (3 min) "For your quarterly milestones, what can you accomplish in the next 2 weeks?" "Pick 2 Primary projects and up to 5 Secondary projects." "What does 'done' look like for each?" Create items with Layer: 2-Week Sprint. Step 5: Today (1 min) "What are the 3 most important tasks for today?" "Which sprint project does each serve?" Write everything to the chosen backend.

2. Weekly Review — "Do my weekly review"

Run every Sunday evening or Monday morning. Read {baseDir}/scripts/weekly_review.md for the full template. Summary: READ: This week's tasks + completion status + project progress + Not-To-Do list ASK: How did this week go? → Wins? → Blockers? → Energy level? → Did you spend time on Not-To-Do items? → Next week's top 3? WRITE: Sprint log entry + next week's tasks + updated progress Keep it under 10 minutes. Be a coach, not a form.

3. Bi-Weekly Sprint Review — Every 2 weeks

READ: Current 2-week sprint tasks and progress REVIEW: What got done? What carries over? Any sprint goal changes? PLAN: Next 2-week sprint — new primary/secondary projects CHECK: Are sprints still aligned with 3-month milestones?

4. Quarterly Review — End of each quarter

READ: All projects and sprint logs for the quarter REPORT: Projects completed/stalled/abandoned, completion trend, top win, biggest blocker ASK: Which projects continue? Which get cut? New projects? Update Not-To-Do? WRITE: Quarterly report + next quarter's milestones

5. Daily Check-in — "What should I focus on today?"

READ: Current sprint tasks + project priorities RESPOND: "Based on your 2-week sprint, today's focus: 1. [Task] → serves [3-month milestone] 2. [Task] → serves [milestone] 3. [Task] ⚠️ [Project X] hasn't had progress in a week. 🚫 Not-To-Do reminder: You said NO to [thing]."

6. Quick Add — "Add [task] to my plan"

Parse the task. Ask which project/sprint it serves if unclear. Add to backend with correct layer linkage.

7. Progress Check — "How am I doing?"

READ: All data SHOW: 🔭 4-Year Vision: [areas and direction] 📊 Q[X] Milestones: [X/Y complete] 🏃 Current Sprint: [X/Y tasks done, Z% rate] 📈 Sprint streak: X consecutive reviews 🚫 Not-To-Do violations: [any this week?]

Notion API Reference

NOTION_KEY=$(grep NOTION_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) # Search planning pages curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/search" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"query": "4To1"}' # Query projects by layer curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases/{db_id}/query" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"filter": {"and": [ {"property": "Status", "select": {"equals": "Active"}}, {"property": "Layer", "select": {"equals": "2-Week Sprint"}} ]}}' # Update progress curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"properties": {"Progress": {"number": 0.75}, "Status": {"select": {"name": "Active"}}}}' # Create sprint log entry curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY" \ -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "parent": {"database_id": "{sprint_log_db_id}"}, "properties": { "Sprint": {"title": [{"text": {"content": "2026-W07 Sprint Review"}}]}, "Completed": {"number": 8}, "Planned": {"number": 10}, "Reflection": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Good sprint. Hit main milestones."}}]}, "Energy Level": {"select": {"name": "😊 Normal"}} } }'

Todoist API Reference

TODOIST_KEY=$(grep TODOIST_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) # Get all projects curl -s "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/projects" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY" # Get active tasks in a project curl -s "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks?project_id={id}" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY" # Create task linked to sprint curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"content": "Task name", "project_id": "xxx", "priority": 4, "due_string": "next monday", "description": "Sprint: 2-Week Sprint | Milestone: Q1 Goal"}' # Complete task curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks/{id}/close" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY"

Local Markdown Backend

• ~/4to1-plans/
• ├── vision.md # 4-year vision document
• ├── not-to-do.md # Not-To-Do projects + Time Wasters
• ├── milestones/
• │ └── 2026-Q1.md # 3-month milestone plan
• ├── sprints/
• │ ├── 2026-W07.md # 2-week sprint plan
• │ └── 2026-W09.md
• ├── daily/
• │ └── 2026-02-10.md # Daily task list
• └── reviews/
• ├── sprint-2026-W07.md # Sprint review log
• └── quarterly-2026-Q1.md
• Use YAML frontmatter for structured data:
• ---
• project: Launch MVP
• layer: 3-month-milestone
• status: active
• priority: primary
• progress: 45
• start: 2026-01-01
• end: 2026-03-31
• parent_vision: "Build a profitable SaaS"
• ---
• # Launch MVP
• ## Tasks (2-week sprint)
• [x] Define feature scope
• [x] Build prototype
• [ ] User testing round 1
• [ ] Iterate on feedback

Automation (Heartbeat/Cron)

For OpenClaw users with heartbeats or cron: Weekly review reminder (Sunday 8pm): "Run 4to1 weekly review: read sprint progress, generate summary, ask for next week's priorities" Daily focus (weekdays 8am): "Check 4to1 plan, suggest today's top 3 focus tasks based on current 2-week sprint" Stall detection (every 3 days): "Check if any active 4to1 sprint project hasn't been updated in 1+ week. Alert if stalled."

Coach Principles

Respect the 4-3-2-1 hierarchy — every task connects up through sprint → milestone → vision Protect the Not-To-Do list — if user adds something conflicting, remind them why they said no Never fabricate progress — only report what's actually tracked Keep it lightweight — weekly review = 5-10 min, daily check-in = 1 min Be encouraging but honest — celebrate wins, flag stalls kindly Think in 2-week cycles — the sprint is the core execution rhythm

Learn More

Website: https://4to1planner.com Free starter kit: https://4to1planner.com/free-download.html Templates: https://4to1planner.com/shop.html YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markzhou5213 Twitter: https://twitter.com/xiucat